Solid wastes being discarded in open dumping grounds or used as land fill in low-lying areas is causing soil run-off and groundwater pollution. The Pollution Control Board has conveyed this to the GHMC on various occasions, but to no avail. Water analyses around these sites have detected heavy elements, high Biological Oxygen Demand and Chemical Oxygen Demand, high hardness and alkalinity. Posing a potential threat to public health, the water has been deemed unfit for domestic use and consumption, the PCB said.
PCB officials said a few landfills here can be termed as “sanitary landfills” in terms of design, construction and maintenance. These landfills are not waterproof, in respect to percolation of water from surface and adjacent sides and precipitation, thus allowing pollutants to gain entry into shallow aquifers through percolation. Officials alleged that use of community bins with various colour codes for segregation of respective solid wastes from residential and commercial institutions is not being adhered to.
The PCB has expressed serious concern over soil pollution and ground and surface water contamination around areas surrounding low-lying landfills due to improper collection, transportation and disposal of municipal waste. Alleging alarming levels of water pollution and breeding of pests like rodents, mosquitoes and flies due to disposal of solid wastes in open dumping sites, APPCB officials say that this is fast emerging as a major source of ground water pollution.